Nepal CSO – The civil society organizations in Nepal have come in solidarity to write a letter of appeal condemning the Thai military coup and demand to uphold basic human rights standards.

28 May 28, 2014

Leader of National Peace and Order Council

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha

Royal Thai Army Headquarters

Rachadamnoen Nok Road, Bangkok 10200,

Thailand Fax: (+66-2) 226 1838

E-mail: prforeign@gmail.com

Dear General,

We, the members of civil society and human rights defenders of Nepal, express our deep concern over the takeover the administration of the country by the military junta, disbanding the democratic institutions of Thailand.

According to the report, hundreds of political activists journalists, academics and demonstrators have been illegally detained and many others at the risk of being arrested following the imposition of the martial law. Furthermore, the report suggested that numbers of those already in detention are held incommunicado having no access to the lawyers, courts or relatives in unknown locations in violation of international human rights law.

It is also reported that the military has instructed the media not to report anything that is critical of the military’s actions or to interview people who may criticize them or the current political situation by using the power of martial law having authority to detain people for up to seven days without warrant, charge or trial without being liable to compensate to those affected by illegal actions.

As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Thailand is under International treaty obligation to refrain from arbitrarily depriving people of their liberty, and to respect and protect freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.

Hence, we the civil society and human rights defenders of Nepal, humbly urge you to reinstate the democracy restore the democratic rights of people in the country, respect freedom of presss and fulfill the core international human rights obligations.

We also call for all those detained by the military to release immediately and unconditionally from detention. Furthermore, we call on the authorities to immediately disclose the names of detainees and their whereabouts.